Thursday, May 31, 2012

Something to Think About

Question:
What is the most important element in teaching reading?

Answer/Quote: “Bringing compelling motives to reading is as important
as direct teaching of reading strategies.” P. 581.

Comment:
Emphasizes purpose in reading. The best
way to help children establish purpose for reading is by completing a survey of
the textbook chapter: The students read the title, subtitles, the first
paragraph, the last paragraph, the first sentence of each intermediate
paragraph, establish what they have learned and then establish what they want
to learn from the chapter.

But how would you help establish purpose for
reading nonfiction books, novels and short stories?

Nonfiction books: read the foreword, first
and last paragraphs of each chapter. Establish what they have learned and
speculate on what they want to learn from the nonfiction book.

Novels: Read for ten minutes near the
beginning of the novel, for ten minutes half way through the novel, for ten
minutes three-fourths through the novel and for ten minutes near the end.
Establish what they have learned and speculate on what they want to learn from
the novel.

Short Stories: Read a paragraph a page or a
paragraph in each column if there are two or more columns to a page. Establish
what they have learned from the short story, and determine what they want to
learn from the short story. RayS.